Pacquiao eases to points win over Algieri
WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs) scored a one-sided unanimous decision over previously unbeaten WBO light welterweight champion Chris Algieri (20-1, 8 KOs) on Sunday at the Cotai Arena inside the Venetian Resort in Macao, China.
The eight-division world champion scored six knockdowns and dominated virtually every minute of the 12-round contest, winning by scores of 119-103, 119-103, 120-102.
Pacquiao momentarily staggered Algieri with a right hook in the opener and his hard shots began to swell Algieri's left eye in the second.
Pacquiao landed a left hand that forced Algieri back to a corner, where he slipped on a wet canvas. It was ruled a knockdown by referee Geno Rodriguez.
The Filipino continued to punish Algieri with more hard shots to the head and body in rounds 3 to 5 and then dropped him twice in the 6th.
First, a flurry of punches sent Algieri stumbling over and then a right hand on the chin for the second knockdown.
The American always got back up but it was obvious Pacquiao was going to win because Algieri had no answer to his offence and he spent almost the entire fight on the back foot.
Pacquiao was landing almost at will before two more knockdowns followed in the 9th.
Algieri beat the count after a thudding left-hand cross, only to slump to his knees from a follow-up barrage.
He barely survived and another left put Algieri back down in the 10th. But Pacquiao appeared to ease off after that and Algieri made the final bell.
Also on the card, two-time Olympic champion Zou Shiming (6-0, 1 KO) defeated previously unbeaten Kwanpichit OnesongchaiGym (27-1-2, 12 KOs) by a 12 round unanimous decision.
The Chinese boxing icon Shiming dropped Kwanpichit twice in round 2 but Kwanpichit survived. Kwanpichit was deducted a point for a low blow in round 6 before being knocked down again. Shining scored a fourth knockdown in round 12. Scores were 119-106, 119-106, 120-103.
WBO featherweight champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Vasyl Lomachenko (3-1, 1 KO) outpointed Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo (52-2, 33 KOs) to retain his title by a 12 round unanimous decision.
Lomachenko dropped Piriyapinyo in round 4 and dominated the first 6 rounds. He then injured his left hand and won the rest of the bout mostly one-handed. Scores were 120-107 on all cards.
Unbeaten WBA light welterweight champion Jessie Vargas (26-0, 9 KOs) also retained his title defeating former lightweight champion Antonio DeMarco (31-4-1, 23 KOs) by a 12 round unanimous decision.
Vargas, in his first bout under new trainer Roy Jones Jr, won an entertaining contest by scores of 116-112 on all cards.